Munro-tastic

So while Asda were being useless I escaped the domestic nightmare and headed off for a tranquil night in the Angus Glens. I was being hosted by the Angus Glens Walking Festival (takes place this year at the end of May) and the lovely Glen Clova Hotel on a short but sweet press trip.

While I started my career in Dundee, at D C Thomson, and lived near Kirriemuir for a spell I had not returned to the area for almost 20 years. I can't recall back then being that interested in the countryside or walking or anything outdoorsy really, which is a shame because it has taken me two decades to rediscover an area that is utterly beautiful.

During the press trip I was guided (with other journos, PRs and local walking fans and experts) up one of the easiest going Munros I have ever encountered. Starting already at 700ft the ascent to the summit of Mayar was so soft a gradient that it almost didn't feel like hill walking.

This Munro, with several easy-ish Munro neighbours, sits amid a nature reserve called Corrie Fee and is a haven for all kinds of wildlife, including roe and red deer, as well as being one one of the most important sites for arctic-alpine plants in Britain. Just past the windy summit top, our group was treated to the sighting of a beautiful mountain hare, which was in the process of sheddng its white winter coat for a brown summer one.

The list of walks lined up for the festival includes more Munro tops, several valley rambles, a couple of coastal strolls and a range to suit all fitness abilities and desires. Although I visited for only a brief spell it is clear there is a lot of gorgeous countryside to explore in the Angus Glens. I only wish I'd had my eyes open 20 years ago!